Sharp Edges
by Errol's Feather
Summary: This take place after the battle of Hogwarts, Minerva goes to tell Andromeda about Tonks. The two women end up talking and comforting each other.


_**Disclaimer:** _I don't own Harry Potter and I don't make any money from it, all the characters belongs to the amazing J.K Rowling.

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><p><em><strong>Sharp Edges<strong>_

Minerva sighed as she left the ground of Hogwarts, leaving the battle field of a castle behind. Leaving because there was someone she had to see. The old witch knew for a fact that she looked like hell, then again this was wartime.

She pushed the doorbell on the house where Andromeda Tonks lived. She hated that she was the one that had to give her the message, but it was better that it came from her and now than someone random later. The sooner the bad news was over the better.

She could hear the footsteps coming towards her, and the big door in dark wood being opened. Andromeda Tonks dark grey eyes looked at her with wonder. Her long, raven black hair was held back by a dark purple hairband.

"I was wondering if you did have a moment?" Minerva asked polite, not knowing how to break the news to the middle-aged witch. That her daughter had been killed by her older sister.

"I do yes, please come inside," the younger witch said, making a hand-gesture, wondering what the headmistress of Hogwarts was doing at her doorstep at this hour.

Minerva followed her into the living room and sat down on the dark grey couch that was there. Andromeda sat down next to the older woman. She suddenly looked so much older and perhaps tired than what was usual, making her think something was very wrong. Not only that, but it was not that often Minerva dropped by to see her and that in itself said it all.

"I've…come from Hogwarts, it wasn't pretty. It's over but…I rather you hear it from me than someone else," Minerva took a deep breath, before continuing, "I am sorry to inform you that Nymphadora was killed by Bellatrix's wand, Remus is dead as well. Molly later killed Bellatrix, and Harry in the end Voldemort."

"My…my baby," Andromeda's voice was shivering as tears were starting to appear in her eyes. After her husband got killed by snatchers Nymphadora was all she had left. And now all that was left after Nymphadora was her and Remus's son, which at the moments was sleeping upstairs.

"You have no idea how sorry I am, Meda," Minerva said in the softest tone.

"And you? You look injured," Andromeda said, looking at the older witch.

"I'm going to St. Mungo's later for a checkup, but I'll be fine, is there anything I can do?" asked Minerva.

"If you could just hold me," Andromeda whispered, as she slowly fell apart. Minerva feeling like her heart was breaking by seeing her like that. She held the other woman as close as she could, and stroked her ever so gently. She figured her health could wait a little longer; right now the younger woman was far more important.

The younger woman hid her face in Minerva's chest whimpering sadly. She felt like her heart was breaking and that there was nothing that could be done for it to mend. The two most important people in her life had been taken from her and all she had left was sorrow. That and a grandson.

"What did I do to deserve this," she whispered between her heavy sobs. Even if she knew the answer she didn't want to stand to face to face with her choices not now. If she had only married a pureblood instead of a muggle, her family might be alive now.

"Nothing Meda, you did nothing," Minerva whispered, she knew all too well the high price the broken woman in her arms had to pay for her choices.

"If I only had married like Cissy and Bella, then maybe…" she stopped, knowing that Bellatrix had never been happy in her marriage. She never loved her husband which had died sometime before her. She would never know what it was like to be a mother and lose something that was so precious to you. To Andromeda's knowledge Bellatrix had only loved Voldemort if any man at all. As for Narcissa and Lucius she didn't know, they had their son and all so she were only to that assume they were happy.

"Minerva…?" the other woman asked, looking at her with questioning eyes.

"Yes," she said, looking at her with wondering eyes.

"What happened to Narcissa and Lucius, are they dead as well?" she asked.

"I think I saw them sneak off during the battle. I do suppose they are hiding up at Malfoy manor," said Minerva with a heavy sigh. Cowards they were.

"Sounds like her alright, not so tough when it comes down to it," said Andromeda, her voice was filled with hatred.

"She only did what she felt was best for her family at the time," said Minerva.

"Perhaps, but what about mine, I have nothing left thanks to them. How could they do that?" she whispered, her voice was shivering. Her sister had killed her daughter in cold blood; it didn't get much worse than that. How could anyone be that cruel? Andromeda knew for a fact that even if Narcissa never took the full step of becoming a death eater, they both had a lot to do with the death of her husband.

Minerva didn't know what to say, in all honesty there wasn't much to say. There would be no words to ease the other woman's pain. Bellatrix had gone wrong a long time back. She was black through the heart, if she had one that was. Minerva seriously doubted that.

"All because I married him and now that little boy has to suffer for that, it's not fair," said Andromeda, slowly getting up from the couch. She started to pace back and forth in the living room. Then she suddenly stopped and headed for the front door instead, or that was what Minerva assumes after the direction of her footsteps.

"Meda!" Minerva called out for her, only to hear the door slam shut behind her.

She sighed, knowing she couldn't leave little Teddy behind to go after her. Instead the old headmistress got off the couch and walked up the stairs to the nursery. As she looked down in the crib at little Teddy Lupin she whispered, "Have you any idea how lucky you are to be loved by her. Your mother and father gave their life to protect what they believed in. They died like heroes. Make sure to always remember that."

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><p>"Narcissa, open the door, now!" Andromeda yelled, banging on the entrance of the Malfoy manor with all she had left of power, tears running down her face.<p>

It wasn't her sister that first came to the door, but her husband Lucius, that in an annoyed tone said, "What do you want?"

"Talk to my sister, or is she too much of a coward to face me?" she asked, pushing him aside.

"Narcissa Black, get down her now," she called out, pointing her wand at Lucius in case he tried anything. He looked at her with shocked eyes. Never before had he seen her like this. She was in fact furious, which rarely ever happened. Then again that wasn't so weird if she heard about Tonks.

"No need to yell," they heard Narcissa's cold, calm voice coming from the stairwell. She gave her sister a superior look saying, "What do you want, dear sister?"

"Was it really necessary to kill my daughter, she was all I had left. There is no needs for me to explain the meaning of that, as you have a son yourself," she said, looking at her younger sister for an answer.

"As far as I am concerned she's not even worthy of being related to and neither are you," said Narcissa in a truly spiteful tone.

"How can you be so cold, the same blood is running through our veins, we are both Black," said Andromeda, taking a step closer to her.

"You chose not to be by marrying that…man, Bella did right by killing her," said Narcissa.

"You know I should kill Draco just so you can feel what it is like losing something that is so dear to you. Where is he?" Andromeda demanded to know, looking pass Narcissa.

Now it was Narcissa's turn to feel scared. She knew all too well that her sister would never result to violence even if she was fully capable of it. Blocking the way to the one thing she did hold dear, she snarled, "Leave him out of this, this is between you and Bella, he has nothing to do with it."

Andromeda now eyes to eyes with her sister, Narcissa's eyes a little darker than her own, but nothing compare to her older sister showed fright. She knew she could easily remove her from her way and get to her son, giving him the same unforgivable curse Bellatrix had most likely given her daughter. Then again that would mean she was no better than their older sister. She sighed knowing that the battle was lost; she would not allow herself to sink into that level. Slowly she backed away and she walked towards the door. She startled when she heard Narcissa say, "For what it is worth I am sorry it had to end this way."

"Too little too late, Cissy," said Andromeda without even turning to face her, before walking out the door. And just for a second Narcissa felt badly about what had happened, after all she was now left with now relatives except her husband and son. All because she had done what she was taught being a pureblood. All because she like the others remained faithful to her believes.

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><p>When the middle-aged witch came back to her house she found Minerva resting in the couch in the living room. Her eyes were closed and her now messy hair was more or less out of her usual bun.<p>

"Minerva, I'm back if you wish to go you can," Andromeda said in a very soft tone.

Minerva opened her eyes and looked at her saying, "Where did you go?"

"My sister, I wanted answers I didn't get." She said with a heavy sigh.

"I should have known, I can stay if you wish me to," said Minerva, not really feeling up for leaving. She suddenly felt like all the power she had had been drained from her. War could do that to you she quickly concluded.

"I could use the support," Andromeda admitted. Even if she knew it was a lot to ask from the older witch, she didn't really wish to be alone.

"Which is understandable," said Minerva, letting her old hand reach out to stroke upon Andromeda's cheek. Andromeda let her head rest for a second in Minerva's hand, before slowly getting up and taking Minerva's hand in her own, causing her to do the same. She carefully led the way to the stairs and further up towards her bedroom. Minerva didn't seem to object to this as she felt exhausted herself.

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><p>Once inside the bedroom Andromeda closed the door and walked over to the bed where she sat down. Minerva looked over at the middle sister in Black clan. Her black hair was a little lighter in the shade than Bellatrix's and not so wile. Her skin tone was pale just like her sister, and her lips seemed to be red as blood. Much more so than the other two. Her dark grey eyes were almost as black as Bella's had been; only you could show a glimmer of emotions in them. On a good day they would even sparkle. Minerva had seen that a couple of times in her younger years.<p>

Andromeda slowly removed her hairband and put it on the night table; the she removed her black boots and curled up in her bed, with the remains of her clothing still on. She didn't have the power to remove them.

"You know sometimes I wish I was not born a Black," she said with a very heavy sigh.

Minerva slowly walked closer, sitting down next to her and letting a hand rest upon her side, saying, "That I have no trouble believing. Do you wish to talk about it?"

Andromeda lay one hand on top of Minerva's saying, "I was born into the noble house of Black one rainy day in May, the year was nineteen fifty-three. I was the second girl in household. I know for a fact my father wanted sons, but that he never gotten any considering we were all girls. Bellatrix was already from she was very young trained like the rest to think that you had to be a pureblood to be a real witch. She took pride in that and in torturing innocent creatures. Their pain were her pleasure. When she started at Hogwarts and got into the house of Slytherin it was a proud moment for father. The same went with us, only Bella was the only one that was willing to fight for the purebloods to remain. I find that ironic considering she never reproduced."

"Well all things considering she never could," said Minerva thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" asked Andromeda confused.

"She was forced to marry for her kind, but considering she never loved him she certainly wouldn't multiply with him. That and the fact she was obsessed with Voldemort, and she couldn't bear out any of his children as he was not a pureblood," said Minerva with a heavy sigh.

"I suppose you are right, Minerva. In any case, living in her shadow was very hard, and it was when I fell in love with my husband. We kept it hidden for some time considering he was what he was, but Bella still found out and told our parents. They of course threw me out and refused to speak to me after. I was no one for them. In the start even with Bella's cruel nature it hurt, because she was still my sister. The same of course went with Cissy, I wasn't even invited to her wedding or the birth of Draco. I have met and spoken to him and them on later occasions, but it's rare. And to be honest after today I don't think I could bear to see them again," she said with a very heavy sigh.

Minerva looked at the younger woman. She suddenly looked so old. Her tired eyes were showing signs of deep pain and frustration. Frustration over a situation she couldn't do anything with. There was nothing to change, not now, it was simply too late.

Andromeda looked back at the older witch, her teal green eyes were showing signs of deep concern and sympathy. She knew Minerva didn't have to stay with her. Yet she had done just that. She really seemed to care about her.

Then again the old witch had always kept an eye on her, something Andromeda never once disliked. She sighed heavily, closing her eyes, wanting to rest to forget.

Minerva just sat there watching over her, much like a lover or companion would do. Her hand resting under Andromeda's still. Thinking about how frail the other woman was, about how much pain she had to endure during her life thus far.

A tear slowly found its way down Minerva's cheek as she wished she could remove her pain somehow. She just didn't know how to other than being there, so she decided to stay.

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><p>As the night slowly turned into early morning the old witch was still looking over the younger. She had been steering a bit in her sleep earlier, but was now peacefully resting. Minerva found it better to let her do just that, at least in her sleep the harsh reality couldn't harm her. Besides she was in no rush to get anywhere, and she figured she could rest later.<p>

She smiled vaguely at the sleeping woman wondering what she was dreaming about, when her eyes fluttered open and she whispered, "You're still here."

"I am yes, I didn't find it wise to leave you in that state," said Minerva honestly.

"Thank you for staying," Andromeda whispered weakly, knowing that the other woman never had to do just that.

"You are welcome, Meda," said Minerva, bending down to very gently kiss her cheek.

"Still, do you want breakfast or…" Andromeda required.

"I'm afraid I do have to go, I need to check this out, but I'll come back to check on you when that is taken care of," said Minerva with a sigh.

"I'd appreciated that, do you wish me to come with you?" the younger witch asked.

"That's okay, I'll be fine, but thank you for offering," said Minerva with a yawn, slowly rising from the bed, before Apparating out of there and most likely to St. Mungo's.

Andromeda just smiled a little by the fact that thanks to that old woman she had managed to get some rest. She just hoped she would be alright. As she slowly got out of bed she could hear little Teddy's screams from the nursery. That woke her back to reality.

She quickly went in to him and lifted him up from the crib, holding him close and as tears again started to fall from her eyes she whispered, "You're all I have left now, it's just you and me from now on."

'You, me and maybe an older witch,' she thought with a heavy sigh, letting him share her sorrow, and for him to be her comfort in the hour of sadness.

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><p>Feedback always welcome and very much appreciated :o)<p> 


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